Heya everyone, keep the reviews coming... I've got 132 reviews for over 20,000 words, doesn't seem quite fair does it, lol. :P Really hope you like this chapter... I'm coming towards the end of my current idea path... so I have no idea where this story is going next (I've got a plan to about ch 20, that's all)... could be fun...

Chapter 18:

Peevesy Honour

December was approaching pretty quickly and James hadn't found the words to put Lily right. He didn't know how to tell her that nothing was going on between him and Emmeline. His friendship with Emmie was in fact all about Lily. He had confided in Emmeline about what had happened with Lily and they were currently hatching up a plan to help James win Lily over in typical marauder fashion. Emmeline seemed to think he should just talk to her but James had no idea what to say to her. In the end they had settled on writing a letter. The plan was that she would receive it over the Christmas break so that she would have time to think about it. One night as they sat in a deserted classroom trying to write the letter, they heard an awful cry, "what the hell was that?" Emmeline asked timidly.

"I don't know," James scowled, "let's go find out."

Emmie didn't look excited about the idea of finding out, in fact she looked downright terrified. James couldn't help comparing her to Lily; Lily would have been out the door quicker than he was. That wasn't to say that Emmie was a coward, not at all, she just needed more encouragement to be courageous. James took her hand and led her out the room.

They walked in the direction they thought the sound had come from. Two corridors later they heard it again. It was coming from an empty classroom just a bit further away. They got closer and slightly opened the door, looking inside. There they saw a huddle of three Slytherins, surrounding what looked like a dead body; James recognised the body almost instantly, although Emmeline recognised her quicker and screamed; "Dorcas!"

The Slytherins turner to see them stood there. James recognised them as fifth year students; Regulus' friends. James frowned, Emmeline's scream had taken away the element of surprise. He didn't even have time to call for help. "Look what we've got here boys," the first one said, "It's Potter and one of his little girlfriends."

"Why don't you guys come in," another said. He was more sinister looking than his friends. James was mentally assessing the situation as he entered the room. They were fifth years. They probably hadn't even thought about studying non-verbal magic… James had his wand, he disarmed one without a word before turning on the other two. Emmeline had her wand too but she had ran straight to Dorcas to see if she was ok, "she's alive."

The sinister Slytherin sent a stunning spell towards James, but he blocked it easily and then turned to block a hex that came from the third Slytherin. He performed a quick binding spell on the third before turning back to the sinister one. "Why have you done this?" he asked.

"We need information," the Slytherin replied.

"Information?" James questioned.

"Like I'm going to tell you… you'll just tell your daddy," the Slytherin scoffed.

James disarmed him before binding him and the other two together with a large rope spell.

James turned to Emmeline who was still sat on the floor besides one of her best friends. "Come on," James began, "let's get her to the hospital wing."

"What about them?" Emmie asked.

"Never mind them… the teachers will sort them," James said as he lifted Dorcas into his arms.

Dorcas was incredibly light, James thought as they walked.

If James had wanted an early night he was incredibly disappointed. He spent hours explaining to professor Dumbledore what he had seen and then sat with Emmie in the hospital wing because she refused to leave.

Madam Pomfrey didn't know what curses the Slytherins had used and was finding it very difficult to heal her. "She might have to go to St Mungos," the matron told the two students who sat by Dorcas' bed.

The next morning at breakfast, Emmeline told James that Dorcas had been sent to St Mungos in the night. The whole school seemed to be talking about it. The boys had been suspended until they could explain their actions. They had been sent home on the train first thing this morning.

James looked down the table towards Lily; she was quite good friends with Dorcas and the other Ravenclaw girls. He hoped she was ok.

The entire school seemed to be waiting with baited breath for news of Dorcas. A week later, they still hadn't heard a word about her. However, they had heard from several parents. Most parents had written to check that their child was alright but some had written to say that they wanted to take their children out of the school. Those students had managed to convince their parents that they would talk about it over Christmas break.

Christmas was approaching fast; snow was swirling against the icy windows. Hagrid had delivered twelve Christmas trees to the Great Hall, garlands of holly and tinsel had been twisted around the banisters of the stairs; everlasting candles glowed from inside the helmets of suits of armor and great bunches of mistletoe had been hung at intervals along the corridors. James seemed to be getting followed around by a crowd of girls everywhere he went. He'd become a hero again overnight and to make matters worse there was mistletoe everywhere. Several girls had stolen kisses under the offending plant. Sirius and Marlene were making the most of the mistletoe as an excuse for PDAs. James and the other marauders had barely spent any time together, because every time they did the boys would ask about Emmeline and Lily. "So what's going on with you and the pretty Ravenclaw?" Sirius asked with a wink.

"Nothing," James answered without looking up from his book.

"Nothing at all?" Sirius frowned, "as if."

"We're just friends," James nodded.

James turned the page of his book, Quintessence. He considered Sirius over the top of his glasses, "you don't believe me?"

Remus and Kate walked over to join them, "what doesn't Padfoot believe you about?"

"He doesn't believe that me and Ems are just friends."

Remus frowned, "well you are quite close."

"Nothings going on," James told them all pointedly.

"What's got James in a bratty mood?" Marlene asked as she came to sit on Sirius' lap.

"He's telling us that nothing at all is going on with him and Vance."

"Well of course not," Marlene nodded.

"Huh?" the entire group looked confused.

"There's no way the James Potter I know would get this close to getting what he has wanted for five and a half years and give up…"

James smiled sadly at Marlene, "she told you?"

Marlene merely nodded.

"Told you what?" Sirius asked.

"James and Lily made out basically," Kate replied.

"It was a little bit more than that," James and Lily said at the same time. They caught each others eye.

"Wow that was creepy," Sirius laughed, "didn't realise you were even here Evans."

Lily laughed, "just wanted to see what you guys were up to."

"Well I'm just reading," James replied.

The following day, James and Emmeline sat in the library doing their homework. Lily was at the next table with the Gryffindors. She was watching them. She couldn't help it; she was jealous. Peeves came zooming into the library and hovered over their table, "alright Mr Marauder King… they say you've got a new girlfriend…" Peeves started singing, "they want to see you kiss her…" and with that he pulled out some mistletoe.

James frowned; "seriously Peeves… stop following us around with mistletoe."

Emmeline giggled, "if we kiss will you leave us alone?"

"Peevesy Honour," Peeves saluted.

Emmeline grimaced, "come on James – we've done it before… no big deal."

They kissed briefly. It was incredibly awkward but that was a fact that was missed at the next table. Lily glowered when she looked up to see them kissing. Marlene noticed what she had seen and patted her on the back.

"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes," Lily told her friends, "I really couldn't care less."

"Don't lie Evans," Sirius frowned, "it bothers you… and it should. Although I don't think you need to worry. He says nothing's going on between them."

"And you believe him?" Lily scowled.

"He's my best mate," Sirius nodded.

That night James went to bed with the happy thought that there was only one more day of lessons to struggle through, although unfortunately Slughorn had decided to throw another party. James still hadn't chosen a date. He'd been hoping to have sorted things out with Lily by now and then they could go together. Emmeline had offered to be his date, she was invited anyway so he thought it would be better if they just hung out a bit rather than went together. He didn't want to give anyone the wrong idea; especially not Lily. James was just grateful that him and his friends would have the castle to themselves for the Christmas break. Mr and Mrs Potter were travelling abroad for a few months; they said it was on vacation but James knew better. They were on business for the Order of the Phoenix.

In Transfiguration they had just started human transfiguration; they worked in front of mirrors they were expected to change the colour of their own eyebrows. James, Sirius, Remus and Peter had done it easily, much to the surprise of Professor McGonagall, so they had spent the lesson changing their appearance in as many ways as possible until they no longer resembled themselves in the slightest.

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